


Born to be Wild

by Holtzmann_lover



Category: Bombshell (2019)
Genre: Coming Out, F/F, Lesbians, Please read, Politics, Road Trips, but not really, i'll love you for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:07:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24726481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holtzmann_lover/pseuds/Holtzmann_lover
Summary: Jess and Kayla meet up after Kayla quits Fox News.
Relationships: Jess Carr/Kayla Pospisil
Comments: 22
Kudos: 31





	1. I'm Not a Lesbian

Jess walked in anxiously into the bar. The bar was crowded with people and Jess had a hard time finding Kayla as she scanned through the people. She sighed in relief when the other blonde raised her hand and smiled, signaling her over.

Jess and Kayla had barely talked since Kayla walked out of Fox. They’ve sent a few messages to each other, mostly about if the other was okay. The messages were tense and Jess guessed it was because they had never really talked about what had happened when Kayla called her while on her date. Finally, after a month, Kayla had asked if she wanted to meet up and Jess quickly agreed. But now seeing the other girl, nerves had set in.

“Hi,” Kayla said as Jess walked up to the little table she was sitting at.

Jess sat down. “Hey, you.”

“I bought you a drink,” Kayla told her and pushed a drink towards her.

“Thanks.” Jess shrugged off her coat and twisted around to hang it up on her chair. “Kayla, I-”

Kayla shook her head. “We don’t have to talk about it.”

Jess made a face at her. She wanted to know so much about the woman in front of her. But the most important question was if she really was okay.

Kayla smiled. “Drink your drink. That was ten dollars.”

Jess laughed and took a sip of the drink.

“So where are you at now in terms of work?” Jess asked.

“Unemployed,” Kayla waved it off like it was no big deal.

“I wish I could have done what you did,” Jess admitted, looking down.

“You can,” Kayla told her.

“And go where?” Jess asked like it was the most obvious question.

“I’ll help you find a job,” Kayla promised her.

But Jess shook her head. “I got myself into this mess.”

Jess wanted to say more. About how the new guy who took over Kayla’s desk is a complete creep. How her couch held tons of application papers, notes, and resumes. How instead of putting up with work like she used to, she now hated it. But most of all, Jess wanted to tell Kayla about how everything is different without her. But she kept her mouth shut before it got her into trouble.

Kayla’s phone lit up on the table and Jess glanced at it.

“Who’s Luke?”

So much for keeping her mouth shut.

Kayla got defensive. “My brother. And how dare you think that every guy who texts me is my boyfriend.”

“You went on a date after we slept with each other,” Jess stated.

“I’m not a lesbian.” Kayla noticed her voice was getting louder so she toned it down.

“Well news flash honey, you’re certainly not straight. Those screams said enough,” Jess fired back

Kayla got up from the table and began to walk quickly outside, done with the conversation. Jess muttered a curse word and followed her outside into the cold air without her coat. She needed to fix this.

“Kayla, wait!”

Kayla whipped around with tears in her eyes. “I’m working on it. Not everyone just knows when they come out of the womb like you. It was a hookup and only that. Nobody had feelings for the other person.”

Jess pushed Kayla against the brick wall, connecting their lips. Kayla immediately kissed back. Jess’ right hand was rested on the wall, supporting her weight and the left hand was around Kayla’s waist. Kayla cupped Jess’ face with her hands, not hesitating.

“You’re saying you didn’t have feelings for me?” Jess asked, her own tears sliding down her face.

* * *

Kayla’s breathing was heavy as she tried to control it while coming down from her high. One of her arms was resting above her head while the other one was around Jess. Jess played with Kayla’s nipple a little, watching her. Neither of them meant to have sex again but neither of them stopped the other as they made their way back to Jess’ apartment.

“I was a bit of a dick back there,” Kayla said, looking at Jess.

“I was too,” Jess smirked. “You know, if you wanna see a dick, I have a-”

“Of course you do. But no thanks,” Kayla laughed a little and Jess kissed the spot right next to her nipple.

“It was sixty dollars,” Jess said.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. And I thought you were a lesbian.”

“Trust me. I am,” Jess assured her. She didn’t stop rubbing Kayla’s nipple.

Kayla took a deep breath.“I think I am too.”

“I know.”

Kayla continued. “I don’t wanna say Roger made me gay, but after that whole thing, he definitely helped me open my eyes more.”

“It sucks,” Jess nodded.

“But you weren’t harassed.” Kayla laughed a little.

“You don’t know that. Maybe it wasn’t at Fox, but…” Jess shrugged. It was always Jess to brush off things that were a big deal. She hated attention the on herself and when Roger had once asked her to be a news anchor, part of the reason why she shot him down was just for the simple reason being that she didn’t like herself on camera.

“It’s okay. It was a while ago. I’m over it.” She waved the hand that wasn’t busy.

“I’m here if you wanna talk.” Kayla left the offer open. If Jess wanted to talk, then she would. And if she didn’t want to talk, then she wouldn’t.

Jess responded by kissing Kayla again. The kissing quickly became a heated makeout session and there was definitely touching below the waist. But Kayla didn’t want to go any further. She wanted Jess to call her again so she could come back. They stopped shortly after they started again. It was late and Kayla didn’t know yet if Jess wanted her to stay the night.

“We need to get away.” Kayla said after a while.

Jess chuckled a little. “Where?”

“LA?” Kayla suggested and Jess grinned.

“A road trip?” The excitement in her voice was almost too cute for Kayla.

“Yeah, you got a car. Let’s escape for a while and forget our problems.” Kayla suggested.

“Let’s do it! Fuck Fox!” Jess said loudly and Kayla laughed, excited for the two of them to be on the road together all alone.


	2. Is This a Date?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess and Kayla begin their road trip.

Jess shoved clothes into her suitcase. She was mildly panicking as she had waited for the last day to pack. So now she was throwing random clothes into her suitcase along with other things like her toothbrush, shampoo, and a hairbrush. Damn her for being lazy. 

Her phone began to buzz on the bed and she picked it up, freezing when she saw the screen. The panic was no longer mild. 

_ Bill O’Reilly _

Shit. Today was the day she was getting fired. Her job at Fox had finally come to an end. But if she was getting fired, where would she work? That would be the real challenge. She braced herself for harsh words as she answered. 

“Hello?” She asked, using her best business voice. 

“Hey, are you almost ready?” Kayla’s voice came through the phone. 

Jess sighed out in relief, laughing a little bit. Of course it was Kayla. She really needed to change her contact before she gave herself a heart attack. 

“Um yeah,” She laughed a little. 

“What’s so funny?” Kayla asked. 

“Um I thought you were Bill. I thought I was getting fired,” Jess told her and Kayla felt her heart squeeze with pain. She had neglected to realize the fear that Jess still had with every phone call that she was taking. 

“Bill was fired, remember? You’re safe,” Kayla told her. 

Jess felt tears rise to the surface but she pushed them away and took a deep breath. She was okay. 

“Yeah. See you in an hour?” Jess asked. 

“See ya in an hour,” Kayla confirmed and they hung up. 

Jess allowed herself to sit on the bed and put her head in her hands for a few minutes to collect her thoughts. She  _ really  _ needed to find a new job. Her couch was still littered with paperwork from applications. Taking a phone call should not require her to tense up and worry about what the outcome would be. 

But Kayla was waiting for her and she needed to finish packing. She didn’t want to keep Kayla waiting. Kayla was beautiful and kind and everything Jess thought she wasn’t. 

Before she continued packing, she changed the contact name to  _ Kayla _ with a red heart emoji. 

* * *

“Hey,” Kayla grinned and handed Jess a coffee cup. “I thought you might need some fuel.”

“Always,” Jess nodded. They began walking to Jess’ car, dragging their suitcases behind them. 

“I’m excited we’re doing this,” Kayla told her. “I need a break. You know from the job search and stuff.”

Jess nodded, “I understand.” 

But she didn’t really know how to continue the conversation. She wished she was in the same boat as Kayla. She knew Kayla would be able to find a job much quicker than her. She had been working at Fox for years but Kayla had only been working there for months. Of course other companies would take Kayla first. 

When they reached Jess’ car, Jess unlocked it and they threw their bags in the trunk before climbing in and starting the engine. 

“Hey, I was thinking we could do it the old fashioned way,” Kayla suggested. “With a paper map.”

Jess looked at her and laughed, “Okay, Lewis and Clark.”

Kayla laughed a little as well and Jess backed out of the car garage she rented. Kayla grabbed out the map from her pocket and briefly showed Jess where they needed to go. 

Jess followed her directions and they rode in silence for the most part. Jess didn’t know what to say. She was on a road trip with a beautiful girl who she liked very much and she didn’t want to embarrass herself yet. 

Kayla studied Jess as she drove. She realized that Jess drove differently to others. Instead of using her side mirrors to look for cars, she turned her head to check, which looked painful after the fifth time it happened. 

“Are you okay?” Kayla asked softly. She drank the remainder of her coffee. 

“Ah, yeah. I’m okay,” Jess said. 

“You keep turning to check something,” Kayla pressed. 

“I’m blind in my left eye,” Jess told her. 

“What? That doesn’t make any sense. You’re driving and you don’t wear glasses all the time,” Kayla said. She would have never guessed that Jess couldn’t see. 

“I passed all the requirements to be able to drive,” Jess shrugged. “And glasses aren’t always fun to wear. I don’t have perfect vision in the other eye either so I’ve gotten used to not being able to see.”

Since Jess was driving with one hand, Kayla reached over and placed a hand on top of Jess’. “I’m sorry.”

Jess felt warm and tingly when she felt Kayla’s hand on her own. It made her happy and Jess wanted her to never remove it. 

“It doesn’t bother me,” Jess said as they came to a stop at a red light. 

“Still,” Kayla said. “So what happened? Were you born blind or did something happen?”

“I’ve told you more than what everyone else knows. Let’s save that conversation for a different day,” Jess said. 

“Sorry,” Kayla muttered. 

To say that it was okay, Jess flipped her hand over to hold Kayla’s as they continued to drive for miles. Eventually their stomachs complained of hunger and they had to pull over to eat. They chose a burger place with outside seating. 

After a while of joking around while eating, Kayla set the small piece of her burger down. “Can I ask something?”

“What’s up?” Jess asked, taking a sip of her drink. 

“Is this a date?” Kayla asked. Their relationship status was unknown to the both of them. 

“I would say so. I paid for your burger and we’ve been holding hands the whole way here,” Jess said, thinking about her answer. “I think we’re going to go on a lot of dates.”

Kayla didn’t know what their relationship would be by the end of the two weeks but she hoped it was more than what they were now. She really liked Jess. Jess was interesting and she never failed to pull something fascinating out of her back pocket, whether it was a dildo she bought online for sixty dollars or the fact that she was legally blind in one eye. And whatever it was, Kayla never wanted it to stop. 


	3. Back on Track

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess and Kayla get lost.

“We’re lost,” Jess said.

Kayla studied the map intensely, trying to figure out where they were at. “We’re not lost.”

“We’re lost,” Jess said again. “We’re two hours in, not even outside of New York yet and we’re already lost.”

“I’ll just grab my phone,” Kayla said and reached into the back, trying to find her jacket which had her phone in the pocket.

“No!” Jess said, touching Kayla’s shoulder. “You wanted to do it the old fashioned way. That’s what we’re going to do. Come on, we can figure this out.”

Kayla smiled and relaxed in her seat. She shouldn’t be complaining. This meant more time in the car with Jess. They could be close to each other and talk about anything. She wanted Jess to know that she liked her in a romantic way and that the date that she went on never should have happened.

Jess must have been thinking the same thing because she spoke up. “Can I ask you something?” 

The nerves struck in as Kayla agreed. Jess placed her hand on Kayla’s to let her know that it’s okay. 

“Have you come out to your family?” Jess asked. It was a nosy question but she couldn’t help but wonder. 

Kayla picked at her nails a little. “No.”

“Because you’re religious?” Jess wondered. 

“No, I believe that God loves everybody, no matter who they love. Jesus died on the cross for everyone. Not just people who like the opposite gender. I’ll always stand by God’s side. I haven’t come out to my parents yet because I’m just afraid. I think they’ll be accepting but...” Kayla trailed off. She mentally facepalmed. It seemed like such a dumb answer. 

“You’re twenty nine,” Jess said, chuckling a little. “It’s not like they can kick you out if you’re living on your own.”

Jess looked around. She still didn’t know where they were at. She was seriously wondering if they should pull out their phones as neither one of them were geographically gifted. Kayla was looking at Jess and Jess wasn’t sure if she was expecting more of an answer or if she thought Jess could get them back on track. 

“What about you? What’s your coming out story?” Kayla asked. 

Jess kept her eyes on the road. “It was okay for the most part. I figured it out when I was fourteen but I didn’t come out until I was eighteen.”

“And your family?” Kayla pressed. 

Jess shrugged but then grinned as she figured out where they were. She sighed in relief. They were on the right track. 

“I know that tree,” she pointed at the plant. “It was my favorite when I was a kid because it’s taller than the others. If we follow this road, we’ll be able to get on the highway.”

Kayla grinned as well, “Back on track.”

* * *

After driving for hours, the sun began to set, the oranges and yellows were creating a painting in the sky. Jess’ eyes were getting tired from constantly paying attention to the road and Kayla needed to stretch her legs. 

“Why don’t we try to find somewhere to stop for tonight? We’ve made good miles and I’m getting hungry and tired,” Jess suggested and Kayla couldn’t decline the offer. 

They eventually found a small motel that would work just fine for them to sleep in. The motel even served breakfast in the morning, so they could get on the road without having to stop for long. 

They pulled up to the building and took their suitcases with them as they entered the building. The motel was empty of people besides the employee who stood behind the counter. Kayla followed Jess up to the counter. 

“Hi,” Jess greeted the man, “We’d like to get a room for the night.”

“One room?” The guy asked. 

Jess nodded, “Just one room.”

“How many beds?” The employee asked, typing on his computer. 

Jess looked back at Kayla to double check her answer. Kayla spoke up this time to help Jess out. 

“One bed is fine,” she told the guy and the guy gave her a strange look. Kayla swallowed uncomfortably. 

Kayla grabbed out her card to pay for the room. Jess was about to object but Kayla put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. 

“You’ve been paying for the meals,” Kayla reminded her and even though Jess still wanted to pay, she backed down. 

The man handed over two room keys and they got out of his hair, going to find their room, which wasn’t a far walk. 

Kayla’s mind was racing. Was the employee judging them for getting one bed? She had never experienced homophobia but she knew Jess had. Should she ask Jess? She didn’t want her first night on vacation to be filled with homophobic people. 

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Jess asked and she tapped the side of Kayla’s head. They arrived at their room and Jess unlocked the door. 

“Do you think the guy who checked us in was judging us for getting one room?” She asked. She slipped off her shoes and sat on the corner of the bed. 

Jess shut the door behind them. “I don’t think he was homophobic.”

“Really? He didn’t seem a little...judgmental to you?” Kayla wondered. She seemed surprised that Jess seemed chill by the situation. 

“I try not to read into stuff like that too much. It’s never a good outcome when you do,” Jess said and sat on the bed next to Kayla. 

Jess noticed that Kayla’s fingers went to play with the cross necklace she had on and fiddled with it. It must have been a habit that she did when she was nervous. 

“Hey, don’t let it bother you,” Jess told her and Kayla nodded. 

Jess scooted towards Kayla more and wrapped an arm around her waist while gently touching her chin to guide her head to look at her. 

“You’re really pretty,” Jess said. 

Kayla smiled shyly, “So are you.”

Jess took the opportunity to kiss Kayla. Her hands remained on her waist and cheek while Kayla’s arms found their way around Jess’ neck as they kissed each other, forgetting about everything else in the world. 

* * *

They laid next to each other on the bed, cuddled up. Their breathing was heavy and Jess stroked Kayla’s hair as she came down from the high. 

“How are you always so good?” Kayla wondered. “It gets better and better every time.”

Jess shrugged and smiled. “I have my secrets. But you’re not bad yourself.”

Kayla smiled as well. She felt safe and warm in Jess’ arms and she never wanted to leave. Her arms felt like home, something that Kayla didn’t realize she was missing until Jess came along. She could get used to this and she had a feeling there was a lot more of this to come in the next two weeks. 

Jess closed her eyes and rested her head on top of Kayla’s. Somehow, Kayla had managed to wiggle her way up to the most important person in Jess’ life. Jess had a habit of making work her top priority, so Jess lacked certain people in her life, only taking the occasional girl home for a hookup. But Kayla made her want to drop work forever and focus on the beautiful person in front of her. A person like Kayla didn’t come around every day and she would be stupid to let Kayla slip through her fingers. 


	4. Would You Like to Go On a Real Date With Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kayla gets injured.

“Morning,” Jess smiled and curled up next to a sleepy Kayla. 

Kayla breathed out a sleepy “morning” back and buried her head in Jess’ neck. Jess kissed Kayla’s temple and closed her eyes again. It was early and they both wanted to sleep a little more but they had a long day on the road ahead of them and they needed food before they started. 

“We should get up,” Jess said and rolled over to stretch.

“Nooo,” Kayla groaned and laughed. 

They slowly got out of bed and took advantage of the free breakfast with the motel before getting ready for the day. they both showered and put comfy clothes on before brushing their teeth and hair. 

As Jess finished up in the shower, Kayla took out her Bible from her bag and began to read. She wouldn’t say she was super religious but she liked to read the Bible, finding it relaxing to her. 

_ “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” _

_ Jeremiah 29:11 _

Did God’s plan include Jess in the future? Would they be more than hookup buddies who sometimes went on dates? She trusted God with His plan, but she never would have guessed she’d date a woman. It was new and exciting, but she never would have thought those were His plans. 

Jess came out of the bathroom. Her hair was wet but already up in a bun at the back of her head. She wore jeans and an old  _ I love NY _ shirt. 

“You almost ready?” Jess asked. 

Kayla smiled. “Yup, I just have to pack my Bible and then I’m ready to go.”

Jess gave a small smile and Kayla packed the few belongings that were still left on the bed, like her phone charger and the Bible. Jess sighed in annoyance and Kayla looked at her. 

“What’s wrong?” Kayla asked. 

“I can’t find my glasses,” Jess huffed. Kayla frowned, looking everywhere frantically. The glasses were on the side of the bed. Most people would have been able to spot them without a problem. But Jess was scurrying around the room, trying to find glasses that weren’t lost. Kayla reached over and grabbed the missing glasses. 

__

“They're right here,” Kayla said, softly.

Jess sighed out in relief. Kayla put Jess’ glasses on her own face as a joke. 

“How do I look?” She asked, making a cute face. 

“Adorable,” Jess said, giving a lopsided grin. 

Kayla was frowning on the inside. The prescription was so heavy that she instantly felt a headache coming. She took off the glasses to save her head from the pain and handed them to Jess. Jess slipped them on her face and she felt relief that she could see again. 

“Sorry,” She laughed. “I guess I had a bit of a Velma moment.”

But Jess’ smile didn’t reach her eyes and they held a certain pain in them that Kayla couldn’t read. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Kayla said and reached out to softly touch Jess’ shoulder. 

Jess returned the gesture by giving a small smile back. 

“Ready to go?” Jess asked, and Kayla nodded her head to answer. 

* * *

Eventually, they were nearly out of Pennsylvania. The trip should have only taken two days if they didn’t stop, but they needed food and rest. They both agreed that there was no rush in getting across the country. 

But as the evening came quickly, they were getting hungry. Their legs were cramped up from the long journey in the small car. Jess found a small diner that would suit them for dinner. 

They got out of the car, stretching their curled up limbs. Jess held out her hand and Kayla smiled, grabbing onto it. They were seated in the corner and they both ordered coffee to drink as they had a few hours on the road still. Kayla noticed how Jess squinted to read the menu, but kept quiet as the subject seemed to upset her. 

When it was time to order their food, they both ordered burgers along with fries, a classic diner choice. As they were eating, the problem arose. 

“I’m just saying now that Trump is president-“ Jess began. 

“Uh, Jess,” Kaya said. Her voice was slightly shaky. Jess was focused on the food in front of her. 

“I know we have opposite opinions when it comes to politics but-”

“Jess!” Kayla said a bit louder to make sure Jess heard. 

Jess looked up and her eyes widened as she saw the sight in front of her. Kayla was holding her hand with the other one and blood was dripping from a large cut on her palm. 

“What the hell happened?” Jess asked, snatching some napkins from the dispenser on the table and pressing them to the cut on Kayla’s hand. 

“The knife slipped,” Kayla told her. She looked like she wanted to cry. 

“I think we need to go to the hospital,” Jess stated and Kayla appreciated how calm Jess was. 

Jess placed some money on the table for their meals and grabbed more napkins for Kayla to use. She helped Kayla to the car and helped her buckle before shutting the door and getting in the car herself to drive to the hospital. She thought it was lucky that they had passed a hospital about ten minutes before the diner.

Kayla hissed in pain as she pressed down on the wound with the bloody napkins. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jess said. She wished she could’ve held Kayla’s hand. “We’re almost there. The hospital isn’t far at all.”

Kayla nodded nervously and they rode in silence to the hospital. They were quickly called back due to the extreme injury that Kayla had suffered and they followed a nurse to an empty room with an exam table and a counter of supplies. 

“You can lay down here and I’ll stitch you up,” The nurse said and she began getting the supplies ready. Jess sensed the nervousness the younger girl held and helped her lay back, keeping a hand on her arm for comfort. Her other hand found her way to Kayla’s good hand. 

“Here’s a shot to numb the hand,” The nurse said. Kayla squeezed Jess’ hand as she felt the needle in her hand. 

“I’m sorry this happened,” Jess said. She looked sad. 

Kayla laughed slightly. “It’s not your fault I was dumb with a knife.”

Jess shrugged, still feeling bad. The nurse was almost finished with the stitches. Kayla tried not to imagine what her hand looked like as she was laying down. Jess gave her a comforting smile. 

“Hey,” Kayla said, turning her head on the sorry excuse of a pillow so she could focus on Jess. 

“Yeah?” Jess asked. She was gently rubbing Kayla’s thumb with her own. 

“Would you like to go on a real date with me? Maybe in the next city? Maybe a fancy restaurant or something,” Kayla asked. She was a little nervous. Of course they had been on dates before but this one would be different. 

Jess grinned. A date sounded wonderful. Just her and Kayla having a great night of fun alone together. Nothing sounded better than a night of romance with the prettiest girl alive. 

“Yes,” Jess grinned and Kayla grinned back. 


	5. You Look Amazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess and Kayla go on a real date.

Jess shrugged on the black pantsuit in the bathroom while Kayla was in the room waiting for her. Jess wouldn't admit it, but she did bring fancy clothes in case a date did happen. She was excited, but then again, who wouldn’t be? This was Kayla freakin Pospisil, the most genuine and fun person to be around. 

She applied her makeup and did her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders in natural curls. She had black heels to give her height. The last thing she added was her glasses. She sighed, the glasses were needed, but she wished she could go without them. Contacts would never be strong enough. 

Kayla dressed in a pink dress that went down to her thighs. She had black heels as well. Her cross necklace stayed on as well. It was from her dad. Their relationship was strained but they could always bond through the love of Jesus. 

The door opened and Jess walked out, smiling at the gorgeous view. To her, there was never a time where Kayla looked bad and the slimming pink dress that she wore hugged her curves perfectly, making Jess want to run her hands all over Kayla’s body. 

“You look amazing,” Jess smiled. 

Kayla blushed. Jess could tell that Kayla was still shy sometimes when she complimented her. She didn’t know if it was because another girl was complimenting her in a romantic way and it was still new, or if she was insecure about herself. 

“So do you,” Kayla smiled. 

Jess wrapped her arms around Kayla’s waist for a minute and smiled at her. The simple gesture calmed Kayla down as she relaxed into Jess’ arms. 

“Thanks, honey. How’s your hand?” Jess asked. Kayla lifted her hand up. The stitches would need to come out of a few days. They would need to find a hospital or doctor’s office to go to. 

“Better,” Kayla grinned. Jess gently took her hand and kissed her knuckles. 

“Glad to hear it. You ready? I need some steak,” Jess asked. 

“Ready,” Kayla nodded and they left their hotel room, entering the streets of Chicago. 

* * *

“And that’s the story about how someone thought I was Kate Mckinnon from  _ Saturday Night Live _ ,” Jess giggled. “They wanted my autograph, but I wasn’t going to sign anything! I’m not going to pretend to be that lady.”

Kayla giggled, “It’s so easy to be mistaken as a celebrity in New York.”

Jess nodded, giggling. “It’s hilarious.”

Kayla laughed as well. The date was going great. They talked about anything and everything while they ate their steaks. The restaurant was far from empty but they were lucky enough to be able to get a table. The white table cloths and expensive white china made Jess feel like she was out of her league. She was usually fine with whatever the New York shops had to offer. 

Eventually, they finished their meals and were full. But when the option of dessert came around, they couldn’t refuse the expensive cakes the restaurant had to offer. 

The waiter dropped off two dessert menus for the women and they took a look. Jess secretly frowned. The desert menu was different from the dinner menu. It was smaller and the writing was in an elegant cursive that had swooping letters. There was no way she could read this but she was too embarrassed to admit that she needed help. 

“What are you getting?” Jess asked. 

“I was thinking about the strawberry cheesecake,” Kayla replied. 

“I was thinking that too,” Jess said and Kayla smiled. 

They put in the orders. Now all they had to do was wait for the delicious food to come their way. The talkative sides to them had calmed down and they were sitting at the table in silence. 

“Can I tell you something?” Jess asked Kayla, but then she realized that Kayla might get the wrong idea, so she added, “about me.”

Kayla gave her an encouraging smile and nodded her head. 

“I, uh, I was in a car accident,” Jess said, finally getting the courage to speak. “When I was twenty four. The car rolled over and glass from the windshield struck my eye. I was the worst case. The other two people in the car suffered from broken bones and bruises but I suffered from those and the loss of vision in my left eye. They were able to fix how it looks but I can’t see.”

Jess gave a sad smile and Kayla reached over to hold Jess’ hand. 

“I couldn’t read the dessert menu,” Jess admitted. “I tried so hard but I couldn’t. In order for me to read, it needs to be in print and a fairly big font. The only reason I can read my own messy cursive is because I know it well enough to read it. I never have problems at work because usually we’re working on computers. The same with driving. It took a long time to even get in a car but the signs are easy enough to read.”

Kayla smiled a little in hopes to support Jess. It made sense as to why she was sad now when she couldn’t find her glasses. A constant reminder of the accident and that she couldn’t see. 

“My dad tried to take care of me the best way possible but it was overwhelming,” She admits. “Jessica needs to be at her appointment in an hour. Jessica needs help with this. Jessica needs help with that,” She mimicked her dad.

“I’m sorry,” Kayla said. “I know it probably doesn’t mean much, but please don’t be embarrassed if you need help.”

Jess gave a small smile. She appreciated the gesture, even though Kayla would never understand how it felt. But she needed help and she trusted Kayla more than anyone else. 

“I’m sorry for not telling you earlier,” Jess said, looking at the table. 

“I didn’t tell you something either,” Kayla shrugged. “We all have our secrets.”

“So what’s yours, Kayla?” Jess asked. 

“My parents were really upset when I quit Fox News,” Kayla sighed. “They didn’t understand that I was sexually harassed. That something awful happened to me and that I needed to quit. Apparently, I was too whiny and a quitter. And don’t forget ungrateful. I don’t think we’ll ever get completely over this.”

“Nothing about what happened was your fault,” Jess said. “It was terrible and horrible and no one should have to be exposed to that firsthand.”

Kayla smiled, “I know that now.”

Jess smiled a little and finished the last of her cheesecake. The waiter came back with the bill and Jess was quick enough to grab the bill before Kayla could. She slid her card in the card holder and when they paid, they decided to leave. Jess noticed that neither one of them were sober with the champagne they had. 

“You look really good tonight,” Kayla told Jess as they walked out into the night. It was the truth, Jess looked different with her hair down and Kayla loved it. She wanted to run her hands through her curls.

“Yeah?” Jess asked, looking at Kayla and smiling nervously. 

“The prettiest,” Kayla confirmed and Jess’ smile got bigger. 

“You do too,” Jess grinned.

Those were all the words required for Kayla to push Jess up against the wall and kiss her. Jess’ hands held Kayla’s head and Kayla’s arms found their way around Jess’ hips.

They ignored everyone around them, focusing on themselves. As the heated kissing got too far, Jess suggested they go back to the hotel room. 

They giggled as they called an Uber to bring them home. Their hands were like magnets to each other’s bodies. They couldn’t get them off, even with a stranger driving them home.  As soon as the Uber pulled up in front of their hotel, they all but fell out of the vehicle, nearly forgetting their bags as they tried to make it up the stairs. The giggling never stopped as they struggled to get the key in the door and as they dove into bed, ready for the night of fun to continue. 


	6. I've Actually Never Driven Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The road trip continues.

“I can drive,” Kayla offered as they once again threw their luggage into the back of Jess’ car. Since the date in Chicago, the girls had gotten closer, physically. It seemed like they could never take their hands off each other. 

Jess walked over, rubbing Kayla’s shoulder some. “You sure, baby? I can drive.”

“I’ve got it,” Kayla grinned. 

“Okay then,” Jess said, giving a smile back and going over to the passenger side before getting in. Kayla got in as well. 

“I’ve actually never driven before,” Kayla said. 

Jess’ eyes widened. “What?!”

“Kidding,” Kayla giggled and started the car up. 

Jess playfully hit her. “Don’t give me a heart attack.”

Kayla laughed a bit more and put the car in reverse to back out. 

“I have no idea where I’m going,” Kayla said as she pulled onto the street. 

“You’re gonna want to go right, and that’ll take us to the highway,” Jess said and Kayla followed her instructions. Jess noticed Kayla’s hand was resting toward the center of the car so she gently grabbed it, intertwining their fingers. Kayla smiled at Jess, which Jess returned. 

* * *

“Oh, my phone is ringing,” Kayla announced, hearing the cheerful ringtone in the back of the car. “Could you grab it for me?”

Jess reaches to the back of the car, following the ringtone, eventually finding it in Kayla’s bag. They had been driving for over four hours now and they needed to stop soon. The two were losing energy fast. Jess handed the phone over and Kayla quickly glanced at the screen. 

“Oh, it’s my mom,” She said. “Put it on speaker.”

Jess hit the green button. 

“Hey Mom,” Kayla answered. 

“You never told me you were going on a road trip!” A lady accused through the phone. 

“I told Dad,” She said, grimacing. “Besides, what's the big deal?”

“It’s a very big deal. I know you’re almost thirty but I wanna make sure you’re okay,” Kayla’s mom replied. 

“I’m fine, Mom,” Kayla said. She noticed that Jess was looking at the map to help them. She silently pointed to the right for Kayla to switch lanes. Kayla did as she was told. 

“And correct me if I’m wrong, but now that you’ve quit Fox, I would have assumed that you would be looking for another job.”

“Working on that too,” Kayla said. “Anything else, Mom? I’m driving.”

The lady sighs through the phone. “Just be careful.”

Kayla reassured her that she’s safe before saying goodbye. Jess hung up the phone before setting it down in a cup holder. 

“That was your mom?” Jess asked. 

“Yeah, I know she’s a little overbearing but she means well,” Kayla said. 

“It’s nice,” Jess agreed. 

“So do your parents know you’re going on a road trip?” Kayla asked, glancing at Jess for a second. 

“Hmm, I haven’t talked to my dad in a few months, so no,” Jess commented. She was still looking at the map. 

“And your mom?” Kayla asked. 

“Oh, she left,” Jess said. She kept her eyes trained on the map. Then she wouldn’t have to see Kayla’s face. 

“She...left?” Kayla replied.

Jess nodded. “Mhm. When I was eighteen.”

Kayla shook her head. “But you said eighteen was the year you came out.”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it,” Jess said. 

Kayla backed down, but she grabbed Jess’ hand with hers, lacing their fingers together. Jess responded by kissing Kayla’s knuckles. 

  
  


* * *

Iowa City wasn’t like Chicago, but it had its own perks, like a quiet night. The girls settled quickly into bed after dinner, falling asleep. They were exhausted from the trip and they had gotten a lot of miles in. Needless to say, the girls passed out quickly, holding each other in each other’s arms. 

The next morning was filled with a breakfast of waffles and coffee as they planned out their day. They still needed to get ready, but both of them enjoyed getting a little quiet time with each other before the day began. 

When they finished their waffles, they made their way back upstairs to get ready for the day. Kayla had showered the night before so she slipped on yoga pants with an oversized t-shirt and sneakers. 

Jess had crashed first the night before so she disappeared into the bathroom to make herself presentable for the day. It was obvious that they both really liked each other. They made each other feel butterflies in their stomachs and see stars in the bed. Their hands always searched for the other’s and they held on like they could never hold on again if they let go. With Kayla, Jess could be completely herself. And with Jess, it didn’t matter if Kayla wasn’t the most experienced because Jess was the perfect teacher, whether it was at Fox or in the bed. 

Jess rinsed the shampoo from her hair and wrapped a fluffy towel around her body before exiting the bathroom.

Kayla looked up from the journal she was writing in, smiling when Jess was in just a towel. Her wet hair clung to her shoulders.

“Hey,” Kayla said, smiling. 

“Hey,” Jess replied and then looked at the TV. “Why are you watching Fox?”

“I’ve always gotten my news from Fox,” Kayla said. 

“Yeah, but…” Jess trailed off. She sat on the bed. She didn’t think it was healthy for Kayla to watch Fox of all news channels. She turned her attention to the journal that Kayla was writing in. “What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s my news journal. It just helps me gather my thoughts as I watch,” Kayla explained. She handed the journal over so Jess could see. Jess took the book and flipped through the pages. The notes were extensive and very smart looking. Kayla clearly knew what she was talking about. Jess was impressed. 

But as she flipped through the pages, she realized something. Everything that Jess told Kayla to write down at Fox was in the book too. And more. She didn’t realize how closely Kayla was paying attention to her. Jess had to squint to read, but Kayla had good enough writing for Jess to be able to read. 

“Shit,” Kayla laughed. “I thought I had put all that stuff in a different journal.”

“You really wrote everything down, didn’t you?” She asked, her eyes were still on the pages. 

It wasn’t often that Jess mentored someone, but when she did, she always suggested that they carry around a notebook and pen with them to keep up. Usually the mentees would write down the bare minimum, but Kayla had gone above and beyond, writing nearly everything that came out of Jess’ mouth. It was touching to Jess and she didn’t even realize that someone was paying that much attention to her. 

“I really look up to you,” Kayla said. She was confident with her words. “I always have and I always will. You’re so smart with what you do and you know your way around Fox almost better than Megyn does. Why? Because you never leave the damn building. You’re so dedicated in what you do and I think more people should be like that.”

Jess stared at her. She had never known someone to look up to her, especially because of her work. She loved her work, but she did think that most people found her work to be boring. The fact that someone took interest in what she did on a daily basis excited her. 

She grinned and took Kayla into her arms. Kayla never failed to make her happy. At that moment, she felt like the most important person alive. And when she was with Kayla, nothing could make her feel any different. 


	7. It's Just a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess and Kayla go to a carnival.

Jess looked at her phone. “There’s a carnival in town.”

“A carnival?” Kayla asked. She was busy searching through her bag for something. 

“Yeah, we should go. At the very least, eat some food.” Jess watched Kayla get frustrated. She threw her bag aside. “What’s wrong?”

“I must have left my hairbrush at the last hotel. It’s not anywhere in my bag,” Kayla explained. 

“Is it in the car?” Jess asked. “I’ll go look for you.”

Kayla was about to protest, saying it was unnecessary but Jess had already slipped on some shoes and disappeared out the door to find the missing hairbrush. Kayla sighed and flopped on the bed. She felt a little embarrassed that she had forgotten it. She didn’t want Jess to think she was unorganized. Sure enough, Jess returned to the hotel room with no hairbrush in her hand. 

“Yeah, it’s gone,” Jess confirmed. 

Kayla sighed in defeat. 

“You can borrow mine,” Jess told the upset girl. Kayla took the hairbrush and ran it through her hair.

Jess didn’t mind that Kayla had forgotten her hairbrush. She always wanted to help the younger girl because she found herself liking her more and more each day. And she knew eventually it could turn into love. Something she hadn’t experienced before.

“Are you ready?” Kayla asked, giving the brush back.

“Ready,” Jess nodded and slipped the brush into her bag. “We can spend a little time at the carnival, get some food, get you a hairbrush and go from there.”

Kayal nodded. She didn’t care what the game plan was as long as Jess was with her. They got in the car and drove the short distance to the carnival. Their noses were filled with the smell of fried food while their ears were filled with loud music.

“Wanna play that game?” Jess asked. They were walking hand and hand down the road.

“Not to brag, but I’m the best ball thrower there is,” Kayla smirked.

“Oh, really?” Jess challenged. Kayla nodded in response and lightly dragged her to the station. She held up the two tickets required to play the game and the game operator took them.

“All right, young lady. Knock all those milk bottles down with one throw and you get a stuffed animal from above. Two or three tries and you can get a smaller stuffed animal hanging from one of the sides. Four or more, no prize. Got it?” The operator asked, handing her six balls.

Kayla didn’t think she needed the five other balls, but she wasn’t going to sound cocky so she grabbed all of the balls. Jess got out of the way so she wouldn’t get hit. Kayla swung her arm back and let go of the ball, sending it flying to the milk bottles. As Kayla predicted, all of the bottles toppled to the ground and she cheered with victory, holding her arms up in a V formation. Both the game operator and Jess looked surprised.

“Hey, that was good!” The game operator told her. “Which one would you like?” He pointed to the animals hanging from the ceiling.

Kayla looked at her choices. “I’ll have the whale.”

The man took a stick to get the giant stuffed animal down and handed it to her. She grinned at it and then grinned at Jess.

“For you,” She said, handing the animal over.

Jess gave a lopsided grin, chuckling and took the whale happily, saying thanks. She held it under one arm and grabbed Kayla’s hand with her other. They walked down the street more, finding a pretzel stand to snatch a couple of pretzels from. Jess paid for their lunch and Kayla was very grateful.

They walked around until their feet started to ache. They drove to a mini shop around the corner and Kayla picked out a hairbrush. Jess stopped by the snack aisle, spotting the popcorn that was on the shelf.

“Wanna watch a movie tonight before we take off again?” She asked, jutting her chin towards the snack.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun!” Kayla agreed and took a pack of popcorn off the shelf. She grabbed a box of Skittles and Sour Patch Kids off the shelf below. “I’m also buying these.”

Jess grabbed some Raisinettes and Reese’s Pieces. “Then I’m getting these.”

Kayla grinned at Jess and they walked up to the counter to pay. Kayla insisted on paying and Jess reluctantly put her things down on the counter with Kayla’s. Kayla paid and they got back in the car. They put the snacks and the hairbrush in the back where the giant whale was sitting. They drove back to the hotel and Kayla found the nonstop movie channel while Jess changed into pajamas. Kayla did the same after. They scattered their snacks around them as they watched the movie. The movie was  _ Iron Man _ and even though it didn’t interest them, they didn’t mind watching it because they were together. They had even gotten out a bottle of wine.

“Let’s take a picture for instagram,” Kayla said.

“Instagram?” Jess asked. Jess had never owned an Instagram account before.

“I only have a short while until my thirties. Let me live,” Kayla joked.

Jess playfully rolled her eyes and smiled for the camera. Kayla quickly snapped a shot and posted it before snuggling into Jess’ side. Jess wrapped an arm around Kayla and kissed her forehead. They snuggled on the bed together, watching the movie.

“Want some of my candy?” Jess asked, taking a sip of her wine and passing her box of chocolate to Kayla.

Kayla smiled and grabbed a couple pieces of the Raisinettes.

“You haven't taken your glasses off,” Kayla thought out loud.

“I would like to be able to see the movie,” Jess joked.

Kayla smiled sadly but Jess grinned and squeezed her lightly to tell her it was okay. Eventually the movie ended and they cleaned their popcorn and snacks up along with the wine before sliding under the covers together.

“Goodnight,” Kayla said.

“Goodnight,” Jess responded.

They shared a kiss on the lips before Jess turned out the light, falling into an unpleasant sleep.

* * *

_ Kayla grinned at Jess, who was driving, over from the passenger seat. She was in love. She loved Jess more than she loved herself. She wanted to be wherever Jess was and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her. Nothing else seemed to matter when Jess was around. _

_ Jess was in love with Kayla. Kayla made Jess feel like she could be completely herself around Kayla. She wasn’t insecure around her because Kayla made her feel like an absolute princess. The prettiest girl in the world. Kayla was the only person she needed. She was her person. _

_ “I love you,” Kayla blurted out, making Jess smile. _

_ “I love you too,” Jess said. _

_ “You do?” Kayla asked. _

_ “I do,” Jess nodded and leaned over the center of the car to kiss her. Kayla kissed back. Jess thought Kayla had the most perfect lips. They were always smooth and soft and they’re lips were like magnets. They were hard to pull away. It was the most perfect kiss. _

_ Metal crunched against metal. Jess slammed on the brakes but the car flew through the air and Jess was thrown through the broken glass of the window. A sharp stab hit her eye. She couldn’t see anymore but when she lifted her hand up to touch it, it felt sticky. _

_ “Kayla?” She whimpered out. _

_ There was no response. _

_ “Kayla!” She yelled, trying again. _

_ What good could she do if she couldn’t see? She tried to feel around but her hands could only do so much. She couldn’t hear Kayla, she couldn’t hear anything. She was alone and she didn’t know what was happening. _

_ “Kayla? Can you hear me?” She called out, trying to stand up so she could walk. _

_ She eventually made it to her feet and was able to limp forward. She still couldn't see. Would she ever be able to see again? Was this the end of her vision for good? Where was Kayla? Had Kayla been thrown from the car too? Or was she still inside? _

_ “I’m sorry for your loss,” A man’s voice said beside her. _

_ “What? Where am I? I can’t see,” Jess said. _

_ “The funeral,” The man had said.  _

_ “Funeral?” Jess gulped out, fearing the next words. _

_ “Kayla’s,” The man responded. “Like I said, I’m sorry for your loss.” _

_ Jess shook her head. This couldn’t be real. She couldn’t be Kayla’s murderer. She felt her knees give out and she felt herself hit the floor, bursting into tears. She loved Kayla and she had murdered her. _

* * *

“Jess!” Kayla said, shaking her awake. “Wake up!”

Jess shot up in bed, gasping loudly. She immediately burst into tears and grabbed Kayla, bringing her to her chest. Kayla allowed the action, hoping it would help calm the older woman down.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Jess chanted through her tears.

“Why are you sorry?” Kayla asked. She wiggled out of Jess’ arms so she could hold her instead.

“I murdered-” Jess stopped, realizing her words.

Kayla realized them too and hugged Jess closer. “It’s only a dream.”

“It’s only a dream,” Jess repeated to herself.

Kayla rocked Jess back and forth in her arms as Jess calmed down. Jess felt guilty and Kayla was worried. Kayla waited while Jess took deep breaths. Her sobs got quieter after a while and she eventually pulled away from Kayla.

“I’m so sorry,” Jess said.

“Why?” Kayla wondered.

Jess gave her a look through her red and swollen eyes.

“Do you have these often?” Kayla wondered, not being able to help herself.

Jess wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Not since we met at the bar.”

Kayla held a worried look on her face. She wasn’t a therapist, she didn’t know how to help Jess, but she would try. Trying was all she could do, because she was beginning to fall in the pool of love and she couldn’t stop herself.


	8. All I See is my Gorgeous Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The road trip takes a turn for the worse.

“Do you want to stop here for dinner?” Kayla asked, pointing to a restaurant.

“Sure,” Jess shrugged and looked over her shoulder to check for cars before switching lanes and pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant.

They were in Nevada, only one state away from California and they were both extremely excited to finally reach their destination. Although, Jess knew she would be sad when they had to turn around and go back to their lives of working at Fox or job hunting.

When Kayla got out of the car, she stretched her limbs and walked around to the back of the car to wait for Jess. Jess did the same from her side of the car. When she walked to the back of the car to meet Kayla, their hands clasped together and they walked into the restaurant.

They were led to a table by the hostess and they plopped down on both sides of the table. They held hands across the table as they looked at the menu. They both ordered their drinks and when their waiter came back, they ordered their dinners.

When their food came, the waiter left them alone to talk. Kayla cut her chicken up and ate it. Jess did the same.

“You’ve never really told me much about your family,” Kayla said in between bites.

“What do you want to know?” Jess asked after chewing.

“You mentioned you have brothers?” Kayla asked.

Jess nodded. “I have two.”

“I have two too,” Kayla said. “They’re older.”

“I’m the middle child,” Jess said.

“Mine are into sports all the time. It was like they were already born football fans. Which my dad loves. We’d all go to church on Sundays and then have lunch and they’d go play football. I think maybe one of the stressors in our relationship is that I don’t like football or any sport like he does. We bond over Fox News and church. That’s why it was so hard when I quit,” Kayla explained.

“What about you rmom?” Jess asked.

“She understands me a little more than my dad but not by much,” Kayla said. She shoved some salad into her mouth and then pointed at Jess with her fork. “Your turn.”

“My younger brother is a lawyer and older brother is a mechanic,” Jess said. “After the accident, my dad and I along with my brothers became very close. I think because they knew I could have died.”

Jess’ eyes stayed on her food. She mentally scolded herself for opening up to Kayla. She was never this open with anyone and it was new to her and she didn’t know how Kayla felt about it.

Kayla squeezed Jess’ hand and Jess looked up, smiling sadly. Kayla helped by offering a reassuring smile. They finished their meals.

“I’m going to the bathroom quickly,” Jess said.

“I’ll wait here,” Kayla said. They exchanged a smile and Jess disappeared into the small room.

Kayla smiled in satisfaction. She was having the time of her life on this trip. She was growing to like Jess more and more every day. She never wanted to be apart from her and when she was, she felt the loss immediately. She looked down at her hands, deciding that she needed to wash them. A faint white line was now slashed across her palm from the knife at the other diner.

She entered the bathroom where Jess was washing her hands and snuck up next to her, using her height as an advantage to rest her chin on Jess’ shoulder.

“Look how good you look,” Kayla said, looking at her through the mirror and kissed her cheek.

Jess wiggled around so she could wrap her arms around Kayla’s. 

“All I see is my gorgeous date,” Jess lazily grinned and Kayla couldn’t help but kiss her right in the public bathroom. They kissed a little more until another lady came into the bathroom, eyeing them wearily as they jumped apart and she went into a stall. 

“Wanna take this to a hotel?” Jess whispered into Kayla’s ear and Kayla’s eyes darkened as she grabbed onto Jess’ hand, leading her to the car. 

* * *

“You’ll wanna get off on this exit,” Kayla pointed. Jess obliged. 

“Hey, how much was the bill?” Jess asked after they were off the interstate. “I can pay you back if it was too expensive.”

Kayla didn’t reply for a minute and Jess looked at her. 

“I, um, I didn’t pay,” Kayla muttered. 

“What? Yes, you did. That’s why you didn’t come to the bathroom with me,” Jess said. 

“I just didn’t have to go!” Kayla said. “I thought you were coming back after!”

“But then you came in!” Jess said. 

“We got too excited,” Kayla said. 

“We got too excited,” Jess repeated. And then she started giggling. “We just dined and dashed.”

Kayla joined in. “We can never go back to that restaurant again.”

Jess laughed quietly as they continued their journey to the next hotel. 

* * *

  
“Fuck, Kayla,” Jess moaned out as she came down from her orgasm. Her eyes were closed and they were rocking slowly together. 

Kayla grinned as Jess pulled her closer and she nuzzled her head under Jess’ chin. Jess responded by kissing Kayla’s head. Kayla grinned and snuggled into her more. 

They laid together silently for a while, their breathing was still heavy and they were both tired. Kayla was listening to Jess’ heartbeat. Jess kissed Kayla’s head some more. They were both falling for each other harder and harder every day. 

“Can I ask you something personal?” Kayla asked. 

“I’m holding you while completely naked,” Jess said. “Try me.”

Kayla giggled and then wiggled nervously. “Umm, you said you were harassed before the trip. I still have nightmares and content thoughts about it. What was yours like?”

Jess sighed while grimacing, knowing Kayla wouldn’t like the answer. But she figured the truth was the best option. Nobody liked a liar. 

“It was at Fox,” Jess admitted. “I was in the copy room and some disgusting guy grabbed my butt.”

Kayla pulled away from Jess. “You were at Fox?”

“Yeah,” Jess said slowly. 

“I can’t believe this. You didn’t help me when I was going through the same thing,” Kayla said. She slipped out of bed. 

“Kayla, come back. I can explain,” Jess said but Kayla shook her head. 

“You’re no better than any of the others,” Kayla said. She found her bra and put it back on before slipping her shirt on as well before continuing to talk. “I trusted you the most! It took guts to call you while I was on that date.”

Jess couldn’t argue back. She felt like Kayla had every reason to be mad. She laid in bed, with the covers over her as Kayla got dressed. 

“I’ll just get my own room tonight,” Kayla said. 

Jess’ heart dropped. The worst that could have happened, happened. She wanted Kayla to feel protected by her. She wanted to teach Kayla. But most of all, she wanted Kayla to be okay. And she wasn’t. 

“Let me pay for it. I’m the reason why you’re getting one,” Jess offered. 

“I don’t want your money,” Kayla said, grabbing her suitcase. “I never needed your money. I needed you to be there for me when I was going through such a confusing time. And you shut the door on me when I needed you the most.”

Kayla disappeared out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Jess let herself fall against the pillows. What had happened?


	9. That’s Why We Make a Perfect Team

Jess knocked nervously on Kayla’s hotel room. They hadn’t talked since the night before and Jess didn't know how Kayla felt. Was Kayla still mad? Was she upset? Or had her anger calmed down? She took a few deep breaths as she heard movement on the other end of the door. When the door opened, she took in Kayla’s appearance.

Kayla had dressed in a sundress and her hair was pulled into a bun at the back of her head. The expression on her face was unreadable and all Jess could do was ask. There was no guessing here.

“Hi,” Jess breathed out.

“Hey,” Kayla said back.

“Um, do you still want to continue on the trip?” Jess asked.

“We’re in Nevada. There’s no use turning back now,” Kayla said, like it was obvious.

“Okay, then I’ll meet you in the car in twenty,” Jess said and turned around to walk back to her room. She hoped that Kayla would stop her but she sighed in defeat when the only thing she heard was Kayla’s hotel room door shutting.

Jess walked back into her hotel room and quickly packed the items that were still out from the night before. She even stole some of the mini shampoo bottles that the hotel gave out for free. She returned her room key and walked outside, dragging her suitcase behind her. Kayla was leaning against the hood of the car with her own suitcase beside her.

“Ready?” Jess asked.

“Mhm,” Kayla said. Her arms were crossed and it was obvious she had an attitude.

Jess didn’t know how to act with this Kayla. This Kayla was new and Jess was afraid that anything she did would cause Kayla to snap at her. 

Jess unlocked the doors to the car and Kayla walked around to the back of the car to throw her suitcase in. Jess did the same. When they got in the car, Jess noticed kayla scooted all the way to the window. She sighed and started the car up to drive. 

* * *

“We’re lost again,” Jess sighed. She was looking at the map. 

“Let me get my phone,” Kayla sighed as well, reaching to the back of the car. 

“No, we’re doing this the way you wanted to,” Jess disagreed. 

“Just let me grab my phone,” Kayla said harshly. 

Jess took her eyes off the road and went to grab Kayla’s hand to stop her from grabbing her phone. 

“No, Kayla!”

“Just let me-”

Jess’ attention was grabbed back to the road as they swerved a little and a car honked at them. Jess yanked the car back into their lane. Her breathing was heavy as an image of her own car accident flashed in her head. After a while when it was safe to do so, Jess pulled over to the side of the road. They were now on an empty road with fields on both sides of them. They were officially lost and in the middle of nowhere. 

Kayla was scared. She didn’t know what was going to happen now that they were in an area that was completely empty. They both were mad and that was never a good mix. The only sound was the occasional car whipping past them. 

Jess looked behind her and when there were no cars coming, she got out of the car and walked into the middle of the road. 

“Fuck!” She screamed into the air, letting out her emotions. She couldn’t help but let a few tears slip from her eyes as she looked at the sky. 

She wasn’t ready for this part of the road trip. The part of the road trip where things got personal. It was like all of her protective shields were ripped away from her, leaving her completely open and vulnerable. 

It was new. Jess hadn’t had anyone to be friends with or more since her ex in college. After they had an ugly split, Jess closed the doors to her personal life and no one had bothered to try to open the doors again. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Kayla asked. She had gotten out of the car and was watching her over the top of the car. 

Jess looked over at Kayla. She looked mad. Jess dragged her feet back to the car but instead of getting inside, she climbed up and sat on the trunk of the car. She rested her head in her hands as she watched a random car zip past her. 

She felt Kayla climb on the car next to her. Kayla wasn’t giving off angry vibes anymore so Jess dared to look at her. 

“I think I messed up,” Kayla breathed out after a minute. 

“Maybe,” Jess admitted. 

Kayla looked down. The guilt in her body was heavy and taking over every other emotion. She had let her emotions come before the logic part of her brain and it had gotten her in trouble. 

“I’m sorry,” Kayla said. It felt lame to say two simple words when she knew she owed Jess a whole lot more. 

Panic started to rise in Kayla when Jess didn’t respond. Instead, she stared at the road. Kayla watched Jess carefully. Her expression was blank. Her arms were wrapped around her knees that were resting on the trunk too. After a minute. Jess began to speak, still staring out at the world ahead.

“I don’t owe you my traumas, Kayla,” Jess said softly. “But I tell you because I want to help you, whether it’s in a mentor way or more. I can’t have you freaking out like that though. I can’t help you when you run away.”

“I was thinking about it in the car. I don’t understand, why didn't you help me if you knew what I was going through?” Kayla asked.

“I told you,” Jess said, finally looking at Kayla. “I can’t fuck up. And I can’t find another job.”

When Kayla hadn’t been selfish, she realized just how bad the situation was for Jess. Jess was trapped in the place that harassed her. The place that made her feel gross. She made it her own mission now to get Jess out of there.

“It’s just…before the trip, you said it wasn’t at Fox,” Kayla said, confused. “Why did you lie?”

Jess shrugged. “For that moment, I didn’t have to-”

An unexpected sob ripped through Jess’ body. She took her glasses off and angrily wiped her tears away. Kayla wanted to pull the older woman into her arms but she stopped herself. Maybe Jess didn’t want a hug.

“Sorry,” Jess mumbled out and then she spoke a little louder. “For that moment, I could pretend I wasn’t working with a guy who grabbed me because I wouldn’t go to dinner with him.”

Kayla’s heart broke for Jess. For the first time, Jess looked truly  _ broken  _ as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop more tears from escaping. It was no use. Even with her eyes closed, the tears flowed down her cheeks like a river.

“Let me help get you out of there,” Kayla pleaded. “I can help you find jobs and help you fill out the required applications. Let me help you for once.”

“Okay,” Jess whispered out and wiped her tears one last time.

“I’m really sorry I was selfish,” Kayla said, looking down.

“It’s fine,” Jess said, waving a hand. “I would have done the same thing.”

“You kinda did,” Kayla pointed out.

“I did,” Jess agreed.

A car stopped beside them and the man inside rolled his window down, asking if they were all right. When they assured him that they were, they took the hint to get back in the car and sped off to get lunch.

  
  


* * *

Jess pulled up to a restaurant for lunch. It was fast food. They didn’t want to waste anymore time. They were almost in LA and they were very excited. 

They held hands again as they walked inside. But as soon as they got inside, Jess knew there would be trouble. She immediately noticed the menu’s font was too small for her to read. 

“I can help who’s next!” The cashier behind the counter said. 

Kayla took a quick look at the menu and grabbed Jess’ hand, leading her up to talk to the lady. 

“I’ll have a number two with medium fries and a drink,” Kayla said. 

When the lady put in Kayla’s order, she looked at Jess, who was still trying to read the menu. She needed the words to be big and bold and they were the opposite. Kayla looked at her as well before it dawned on her. 

“The number two comes with a cheeseburger and fries,” Kayla said softly. “Do you want that?”

Jess felt the intense stare from the employee as she nodded. “Yeah. That’s good.” 

She felt tears burning her eyes and she knew she needed to leave before she broke down in public. 

“I’m going to the restroom,” Jess told Kayla and released her hand before finding the women’s restroom. 

Jess felt silly for crying twice in one day. She couldn’t help it but it had seemed like all of her traumas were coming up with Kayla. She trusted Kayla. Kayla was her partner in crime. Kayla was the person who she was seeing. Kayla was everything to Jess and Jess couldn’t get herself under control. 

She removed her glasses for what felt like the millionth time that day so her tears could fall freely. She swiped at them. The last thing she wanted was a stranger to see her cry. 

The bathroom door swung open and Kayla rushed in. “I’m so sorry! It left my head. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot!”

“It’s okay,” Jess nodded. 

“It’s not okay, I need to be more considerate,” Kayla said. 

“It’s not your fault,” Jess sniffled. 

“Why are you crying?” Kayla asked, still worried. 

“Before this road trip, you thought of me as a mentor and now you probably think I can’t do anything by myself and-“ Jess talked through her tears. 

Kayla grabbed some toilet paper from a stall and gently dabbed at Jess’ eyes. 

“You’re okay, babe. I don’t think any less of you,” Kayla said. 

“I can’t even read the fucking menu,” Jess said. 

Kayla wiped her tears more. “That’s why we make a perfect team. I can help you.”

“You seem to be helping me more than I’ve been helping you lately,” Jess pointed out. When her tears had dried, Kayla threw the toilet paper away. 

“I still need your help. You showed me so much at Fox. I’m sure there’s more in the business I need to learn. Even if it’s not Fox,” Kayla said. 

Jess hummed in agreement. 

“How did you come to restaurants before?” Kayla asked. 

“I just took a guess at what it said or avoided them,” Jess said. 

“You won’t have to do that again,” Kayla promised. “Not with me.”

For the first time since her car accident, Jess felt truly comfortable with who she was. She didn’t need to be perfect with Kayla. In fact, she was far from perfect, but with Kayla, that was okay. Because they were a perfect team together. 


	10. I'm With You

“There it is!” Kayla pointed.

Jess looked up and saw the Hollywood sign staring back at her. Her jaw nearly dropped. It was huge and she considered herself lucky to be able to see it in person. Jess grabbed her phone and snapped a couple of shots. At that moment, she had seriously considered moving to LA. But she couldn’t. She had a job to get back to, even if it made her uncomfortable.

“That’s truly something,” Jess nodded.

Kayla grabbed Jess’s hand, insisting they needed a picture. And Jess couldn’t deny her. It was the Hollywood sign. It was truly magical and they needed to remember this moment. 

“Hey sir, do you think you could take our picture in front of the sign?” Kayla asked a young man. 

The young man agreed and they stood side by side for the picture. Kayla leaned her head onto Jess’s shoulder and Jess squeezed her waist. The picture was taken and Jess reminded herself to print it out. 

After thanking the man, they decided to take a couple more pictures in front of the sign by themselves. When they were satisfied, they decided to move on. 

“Remember when someone changed the sign to Hollyweed?” Jess snickered as they continued to walk. 

Kayla rolled her eyes playfully and gently pushed her. “Yes.”

Jess laughed a little bit more and they decided what they wanted to do next. They had only been there for less than a day and Jess was having the time of her life. She was with the prettiest girl and in one of the most amazing places in the world. She couldn’t be happier at that moment. 

* * *

“This place is a little spooky, but still cool,” Kayla whispered. 

“Why? Are you afraid the dinosaurs are going to come to life?” Jess teased her but made sure to hold her hand so she felt more at ease. 

“Yes.”

“Silly girl, the dinosaurs only come out at night. Haven’t you seen Night at the Museum?” Jess asked, looking at the T-Rex that towered above her. 

“Of course I have,” Kayla said, like she was offended. 

“Oh my God, Kayla. I think I saw it’s tail move,” Jess joked. 

Kayla loved this side of Jess. She loved every part of Jess there was, but this carefree and joke filled side of Jess was her favorite. This was a completely different side to Jess than what she experienced in Nevada and she was so glad that they were able to continue their trip. They were finally in LA and seeing things they had never seen before like the Natural History Museum. Even though there was one in New York City, the one in LA hit differently. 

“Let’s go see the triceratops,” Kayla suggested. Jess let her pull her along. She didn’t care what they did as long as they were together. But once again, the thought of her maybe relocating couldn’t help but take over her brain. 

* * *

“This has been the best day,” Kayla grinned, eating her burger. 

“I know,” Jess said. “It’s barely two and we’ve done so much.”

“I’m exhausted, but I couldn’t stop going even if I tried,” Kayla said. 

“Same here,” Jess agreed and then said, “This life seems so much easier.”

Kayla looked at her curiously. “What do you mean?”

“I feel like I can actually be me here,” Jess said. 

“New York is one of the best places to be if you’re-“

But Jess didn’t need her to continue to understand that Kayla didn’t understand. 

“But not at Fox News,” She said a little loudly. She realized that she had almost snapped. “I’m sorry. Look around, Kayla.”

Kayla looked around. There was a family of five across from them, smiling as they are their own burgers. Guys with surfboards who had come back from the water. Even the employees had an upbeat attitude about them as they served their customers. It was an energy that wasn’t seen in New York. 

“I walk past Fox News on the weekends and I dread going back to work,” Jess said. “I don’t know what the work place is like here, but this is a breath of fresh air. Something I didn’t know I needed until I came up from under the water.”

Kayla immediately placed her hand on top of Jess’s. She often forgot that she was easily able to quit Fox News. For Jess, it wasn’t so simple. She wanted to be there for Jess in any way possible, even through the scary parts that had an unpredictable ending. 

“Are you telling me that you want to move?” Kayla asked, with a shaky breath. 

Jess laughed and shook her head, making a face. “No, no. That’s crazy. I’m just thinking out loud.”

Kayla gave Jess one last look before returning to her burger. She was sure Jess wasn’t just thinking out loud. She couldn’t help but wonder what that meant for them. Would they move together? Would they quit their relationship? Or would they stay in their preferred places, trying to work it out with the help of technology?

Kayla rubbed Jess’s hand a little. “I’m with you.”

And Jess smiled shyly, looking down. It was all Kayla needed to do to make Jess feel supported. 

* * *

The Hollywood Walk of Fame was a place that everyone needed to visit when they were in LA. Stars lined the streets with celebrities' names and many people stopped to take pictures with them. Jess and Kayla did just that. Kayla reminded Jess of a little puppy. She ran all around, looking at all the stars, snapping away on her phone. Jess was happy to take pictures of Kayla in front of all the stars but Kayla made sure that Jess got some pictures too. 

The more Jess stayed in this city, the more she fell in love. She was in a place that never got cold, she was right by the beach, and there were so many things to do. The more she thought about it, she could actually see herself living in Los Angeles and starting a new job. One that was safe. 

“I love it here so much,” Jess breathed out. 

“I do too,” Kayla said. “I would have come so much earlier if I knew how much I was going to love it.”

“This was one of the best ideas I’ve had,” Jess said. 

“I agree,” Kayla said. “I’m so glad I got to do it with you.”

Jess grinned. “Hey?”

“Yeah?” Kayla asked. 

“I’m going to kiss you,” Jess warned her and pulled her in by her waist. 

“Okay,” Kayla grinned as well. 

And then Jess pulled her in and they kissed above the stars. 


	11. I Already Know You'll Be Great

Jess sighed as she entered Fox News again. The road trip was over and it was back to work now. She greeted a few people who were nice enough to tell her good morning. When she arrived at her desk, she made sure her backpack was under her desk and scooted as far away as her cubicle mate as she could. He was an interesting guy and Jess didn’t feel one hundred percent comfortable around him.

She got to work on returning emails that she had missed during her vacation and glared at the stack of work on her desk that needed to be completed. She missed Kayla already. It had been a few months since Kayla quit and she was used to working alone again but she couldn't help but miss the small things like when Kayla squeezed her shoulders as she looked over Jess’s shoulders or giving her a reassuring smile when she was stressed out.

As the day slowly dragged on, Jess became sadder as she worked. She was lonely again and wondered what Kayla was doing. Jess was sure that Kayla was already busy again, even though she didn’t have a job. Kayla was a person that never slowed down.

But even though she missed her, Jess was so glad that Kayla had left. Her heart had clenched when Kayla cried on the phone to her, telling her the horrible things that had happened. Jess wasn’t stupid. Kayla’s attitude in the office had shown Jess that something was happening. But that didn’t mean that it wasn’t extremely upsetting when Kayla told her. The conversation that Jess had with Megyn flashed in her head.

_ “Hey, Megyn?” Jess called out as Megyn walked by. She didn’t even know she was going to call out to her but now she had and she couldn’t take it back. _

_ “Jess!” Megyn said. “I haven’t talked to you in a while. How are you?” _

_ Jess nodded, standing up from her desk. “Good, good. How are you?” _

_ “I’m good,” Megyn said and allowed Jess to continue talking. _

_ Jess pointed to Kayla’s empty office chair. “She’s not here right now, but have you met my new cubicle mate, Kayla Pospisil?” _

_ Megyn looked at the chair as well before looking back at Jess. “I don’t think I have.” _

_ “She’s great,” Jess said and then lowered her voice a lot. “Kayla met Roger and I’m not sure-” _

_ A look of fear flashed through Megyn’s eyes and then disappeared before Jess could fully register it. _

_ “I’ll look into that for you as soon as possible,” Megyn said, nodding at Jess to let her know that she understood what Jess was trying to say. _

_ And Jess could only hope that was true. _

“Hey, it’s lunch time,” Her weird cubicle mate told her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Jess looked at the time and saw that he was correct.

“I can read the time,” Jess grumbled but decided to eat her lunch anyways so he would get off her back.

Jess pulled her salad out of her backpack and prepared it by adding some dressing to the food and grabbing her water bottle. She was a person who ate lunch while she worked. It helped her anxiety about getting things done on time and if she worked through her lunch, then she didn’t have to work at home later.

But on the first day that Kayla was her new cubicle mate, she didn’t work while she ate. She wanted to know everything about Kayla. So when Kayla began to eat herself, Jess scooted her chair over to Kayla’s side of the cubicle.

_ “Hey, how’s your first day going?” Jess asked. _

_ “It’s going okay,” Kayla said, making room for Jess to eat with her. _

_ “Most people are nervous when they start here, are you?” Jess wondered. _

_ “Not really...well a little,” Kayla admitted, looking at Jess. _

_ Jess thought Kayla was stunning. Her blonde hair fell around her shoulders and not a strand was out of place. Her makeup seemed to be just as perfect. But Jess loved more than her appearance too. She liked how Kayla seemed to be able to show confidence even if she was nervous. There was nothing wrong with being nervous but giving off a confident look never hurt either. And she secretly liked that she could help Kayla. _

_ “I already know you’ll be great,” Jess said. “Bill doesn’t let just anyone work here.” _

_ Kayla smiled a little. If Jess and Bill thought that she was good enough, then maybe she was. _

As Jess was finishing her lunch, she remembered something important. She set her near empty container aside and dug through her backpack. She smiled a little when she pulled out the picture of Kayla and her in front of the Hollywood sign. She quickly pulled the old picture out of the frame that sat in her desk drawer and replaced it with this one. This one made her a lot happier. But she still kept it inside her drawer, not wanting to give anything away. At least it will make her smile a little when she opens the drawer.

When lunch time was officially over for her, Jess put the container back in her backpack and stood up from her desk, needing to stretch and use the bathroom. She placed her backpack under the desk again and left the cubicle. She politely said hi to the people who said hello to her first as they passed. But she didn’t really consider them friends. Who knows how they would react if they found out she was gay or that she had wanted Hillary to win the election.

Jess paused to look in the mirror in the bathroom to study herself. Her hair was lighter from the sun but her skin had tanned after a sunburn. Jess couldn’t help but wish she had Kayla’s body. She had the perfect body. Kayla had great eyesight. And she never burned before her skin turned into a nice golden color. 

A woman exited the stall behind her, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. The woman was crying. Jess’s heart clenched.

“Are you okay?” She asked softly. 

“I’m sorry,” The woman said. “I’m fine.”

Jess pulled some paper towels out of the dispenser and handed them to her. “It’s not the best but…”

“Thank you,” The woman said, taking the paper towels from Jess. 

Jess couldn’t help but think of the time when Kayla had messed up and was embarrassed, crying in the bathroom herself. Jess stood by her and calmed her down as Kayla explained why she wanted her job at Fox so bad. 

“You gonna be alright?” Jess asked. 

“Yeah,” The woman nodded, throwing away her trash. 

“No crying at Fox,” Jess said. “You’ve got this! You’re awesome!”

The woman nodded more confidently and Jess gave her a smile before they parted ways. She loved lifting people up whenever she could, even if she didn’t know them. 

But this exchange had hit differently somehow. She was tired of seeing random women in the bathroom crying. She was tired of being lonely at work all the time. But most of all, she was tired of being trapped in a company that had been known for disgusting things and probably always would be. 

If Kayla could walk out and throw her name badge in the trash, why couldn’t she? She’d have no job, no source of income to live off of. New York was not the place to make such an impulsive move. 

But she’d be free. She had wanted to be free for the longest time. She’d no longer have to worry about what would happen if the wrong person found out she was gay. She wouldn’t have to work with the gross man who had touched her in a gross way. In Los Angeles, she could be anyone who she wanted to be. Why couldn’t she be that way in New York?

So instead of going back to her desk, Jess passed all the cubicles and went to the elevator. Her hands were shaking as she reached out and pressed the second floor button. She took a deep breath. She was going to do this. But when did the elevator get so hot?

The elevator dinged as the doors opened, announcing her arrival. She stomped off the elevator and marched up to Rupert Murdoch’s secretary. 

“I need to speak to Rupert,” She said. 

“He’s in a meeting right now,” She said. “I can schedule for a time later.”

But if she scheduled a time for later, she would lose every ounce of confidence she had in herself now. 

“I’m sorry,” Jess said and reached over the desk, grabbing the remote to unlock the door to Rupert’s door. 

“You can’t go in there!” The secretary insisted but Jess walked past her and into the office. 

As the secretary said, Rupert was talking to two men who sat on the other end of his desk. Rupert paused as he was pointing to something on a computer screen. 

“Who are you?” He asked. 

“I’m Jessica Carr. And I quit.”


	12. Epilogue

Fuck. What had she done?

Jess sat outside Fox News on a bench. She watched as the security guards who escorted her out, walked back inside. She was stupid. What was she thinking when she quit her job? This was New York for crying out loud. She cursed at her impulsive self. 

She wiped her eyes that had begun to tear up and shook her hands, trying to get them to stop feeling numb. It was hard to breathe and Jess hoped that she didn’t pass out on the streets of New York. 

“Jess?” Kayla asked, concerned. 

“I’m sorry for calling you,” Jess said. She couldn’t look Kayla in the eyes. 

“What’s wrong?” Kayla asked, sitting beside her. 

“I quit,” Jess said. 

Kayla looked at her. If she were being honest, she was only half surprised by this confession. She saw the way Jess looked at LA. New York was old news to Jess. 

“I have no job and I’m living in a city where the rent goes up every five minutes,” Jess panicked. “I need to go back in and beg for my job.”

Kayla immediately shook her head. “No, you don’t. You deserve so much more than that shitty job that doesn’t respect you or allow you to be you.”

“No one will hire me,” Jess sniffled. She took off her foggy glasses. 

“So come live with me,” Kayla offered. 

“You don’t have a job either,” Jess pointed out. 

“So we’ll figure it out together,” Kayla shrugged. 

Jess looked at Kayla for the first time. Was she serious? Could they really figure it out together? Jess had only lived with one other girlfriend. She hoped that she could be enough for Kayla. But above that, she hoped Kayla was right and that they could get their lives back on track together. 

“Really?” Jess asked, still not completely sure. 

“Of course I am,” Kayla nodded. “Jess, I saw how much you loved California. Now is the perfect time to start a new adventure,” She said. And then she added, “With me.”

Jess didn’t need anymore time to think about it. Kayla was right. Now was the perfect time to start a new adventure with the woman she loved. 

“Okay,” Jess said. 

“Okay,” Kayla said. “Then let’s go home.”

“Let’s go home,” Jess said. 

Kayla smiled and offered her hand to Jess. And when Jess grabbed it, they stood up together and walked down the busy streets of New York City, ready to start their new adventure. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should there be a sequel? Let me know!


End file.
